is my bird sick or not

Question
QUESTION: hello i got a parakeet from a pet store last night and his beek is pale and his poops stick to his butt. he is also really skinny. and he bites people , but that i can understand he is probrubly really scared...is my bird sick or not?

ANSWER: He may be sick, or just malnourished and neglected.  It's sickening that some pet stores treat their birds like this.  I would call the manager and complain if I were you.  Do you know how much he weighs?  You can just estimate, but a budgie should weigh about 40 grams, or 1-1/3 ounces.  I understand that since he's biting, guessing your bird's weight is probably easier said than done.

Call a vet and ask if they can give you any vitamins or supplements to give him, or any other ways to get him better nutrition.  This will help him get stronger.  A pale beak often means that the bird isn't getting enough nutrients.  When you call, ask if they think that he should be seen or not and get a professional opinion.  I'm not a vet, and can't diagnose your bird, but they can.  You should give him some millet sprays or honey treats.  These have a lot of fat and carbs in them, and will help to fatten him up a little, and make him feel loved.  But give him plenty of water so that he won't have digestive problems.  Changes in diet, even if they're implemented to make the bird healthier, can cause diarrhea or constipation.

He'll need plenty of rest.  Don't leave the lights on for more than 8-10 hours a day so that he can sleep.

While biting is a bad habit, focus on getting him healthy first.  It may just be because he's stressed and scared, so wait and see if it gets better once he's healthier and more settled into his new home.  What I did with my birds who were biters is I wrapped my fingers in band-aids.  When they tried to bite, they couldn't really get a good grip, and it didn't hurt, so they gave up after a while.

I hope that he gets settled in and healthy soon!
Best of luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: irus(my bird)doesent bite anymore!!! and i did make the hospital cage for him i just did it so i dont see a difference yet  i sprayed ez-care bath time FOR BIRDS so it could be humid i put cution at the bottom so he coudent fall i also covered the side where the food and water are so i cant see. my estemate is well i have no idea let s just put it this way i put him on the him on scale and it stayed on 0
thanx schyler

Answer
I apologize for the delay in responses lately, classes have started up for the new semester.

I'm glad that he's quit biting!

These sprays don't usually work, and are usually pretty expensive.  It's usually easier to get a spray bottle and fill it with warm water, and mist him.

Does he seem to be eating or drinking more?  You may not see a difference right away, but watch him closely.

Some scales aren't sensitive enough to pick up a budgie's weight.  If this is the case, just estimate.